Shoe-bottom-filler machine



G. H. MAXWELL SHOE BOTTOM FIL-LER MACHINE Filed Aug. 9. 1923 3Sheets-Sheet l N .W ad myA W III.

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Oct. 27, 1925. G. H. MAXWELL- sHoE BOTTOM FILLER MACHINE 3 Sheets-Shest2 Filed Aug, 9. 1923 a ocr. 27, 1925.

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Application med .august a, 192s. senil No. man.

To all whom it may concern? Be it known that I, GEORGE H. MAXWELL, acitizen of the United States, andaresident of Phoenix, county ofMaricopa, and State of Arizona, have invented a new and usefulShoe-Bottom-Filler Machine, of which the lfollowing is a specification.

My present invention is an improvement in and, subordinate to and acontinuatlon 1n part of .my copendng apphcation Serlal No. 633,148, nowPatent/No. 1,523,701, dated 20, 1925, and likewise of the prior, lcopending application Serial No. 560,800 therein mentioned and which onOctober 21, 1924, became Patent No. 1,512,229. The present improvementsrelate primarily January to the adaptation of electricity to this typeof apparatus. I have found that much of the trouble experienced in theelectrically heated ller machines has been due to the presence ofmoisture in the chamber con# taining the heating element and also thatmuch finer control of the conditioning of the filler is possible bymaintaining a dry heat around the filler containing chamber and a moistheat within thefiller containingchamber. Accordingly one aim of mypresent invention is to maintain the heating chamber dry and free ofmoisture, although generatinnf theA steam within it. One of the chiefeatures of'invention in my applica. tion 633,148 was the provision of aheat disseminating space or chamber formed by so positioning the heatingunit below the bottom of the reservoir and work-basin of the apparatusas to give quick heating results lspot or region of said bottom whichwould be liable to burn the filler. In other words, by placing theheating unit as stated the space between said unit and said bottomconstitutes a heat disseminating or unifying space to render the heatall aroundsaid'bottom uniform and safe. As, however, the main object ofthe original invention, i. e. of this entire type of machine, is tospeed up the process of filling shoes with this kind of filler it isdesirable to have an extra. high heat, especially at the beginnig whenit is necessary to melt the large'b v of filler and also heat up all theparts of the reviously cold machine. For instance, w en the operatorstarts in the morning it is desirable that he should be able to beginthe actual iilling o f the shoe-bottoms within at the dry heat.

least 10 minutes (and even a shorter time if possible) .t v This problempresents exceedingly great diiiculties, bearmg in mind that themateria-l is largelycork mixed with wax tailings, rosin,.starch 'andsuch like-easilycharred material and that nevertheless their heatpenetration is slow because of the heat insulating character of thecork. The safet means which I have provided and 'which permits employingan extra high-heat heating unit resides in interposing 1n the aforesaiddisseminating space or chamber and between the heating unit and saidbottom a water chamber or container covering more or less of theradiating surfaceof the unit.

-This absorbs a considerable portion of the fierce heat at the startbecause of the water and because of the-barrier provided by the watercontainer and et it permits a considerable portion of t e radiant heatto be spread throughout the disseminating space and over the entirebottom and around the basin and the reservoir. On the other hand thespace directly over the heating unit which has been protected by theWater chamber is brought up to its desired` rapid-melting condition asquickly as the heating of the apparatus makessafe, this rapid bringingup of said area to said condition being due to the increasing heatthereat as the water .in the chamber becomes converted into steam. Andeven though at this moment the heat is intense no harm is likely becauseas the water became quite hot the wet vapor ascending therefrom hasenteredf'and coated and permeated the mass of filler, and has thereforerendered the filler less liable to burn, followed at once by stillhotter vapor and nally by true steam, it being understood that in thefurther runningof the apparatus the main melting of the filler is aslaccomplished by the steam -rather than by As soon as this'point isreached the operator can turn off the high current, leavin the unit onmedium or low heat just suiclent to kee 'the water chamber generatingsteam su cient to continue the melting and conditioning of the tille'r.The highly heated condition of the reservoir and basin maintains thissteaming condition,

- as the hot metal instantly converts back into steam again any drops ofwater or accumulation of condensation as soon as said water comes intocontact with the hot metal bot-4 tom 0r wall. This concentration 0i theapplication, whether it be an electric unitv or any other kind, at andadjacent the bottom of the work-basin and of the mass of filler, is ofAs ial advantage and combines with the ot er features and functions toproduce economy, speed, safet and convenience. My (present process ancombination of parts an their resulting effects in use so modify eachother as to permit the employment with safety of an extra strong heat(say 2000 watts, by way of illustrating my point by reference `to theelectric form of heater) which would have charred and scorched andtotally ruined the filler at once under previously existent conditions,and yet this'high heat is all utilized, and safely utilized, the largerpart being usedlin the steam and the surplus used as dryheat in the airchambers around the reservoir and work-basin. To melt and condition andso maintain such a large mass of filler while being used would normallyrequire say..8000 to 10,000'watts to produce the necessary steam, but byconcentrating the 2000 watts mentionedin al unit of say 10 inchesdiameter with the effective steam generation and application thereofconfined close to it at the lower end of the mass and simultaneously allover and through said lower end where and as the iller is used and fallsor disintegrates and o ns up for this forced steam-penetration, t eresult is a uick, eilicient conditioning of the filler an marked economyof energy. The high, sudden or harsh heat produces forced steam deliveryand rapid penetration with suicient effectiveness all along the lowerend of the mass at the several points where the jets of steam are drivenintothe loose .filler to coat each particle of filler with moisture andto keep it so coated at the very time and place where otherwise it wouldbe charred and scorched by contact with the hot bottom plate which atthe same time and by the same dry and extra high heat on its under sidehas been brought to an extra heat. Thus both metal and filler arekeptmore highl heated and by the` same simultaneous app cations and withself-insured safety than -would have .been previously possible, and thisgoes on continuously andv with an expenditure of minimum ener v itsmaximum ciency at the point or re on of use. The arrangement is suchthat th metal and filler are kept conditioned for the highest, yet safe,service. This is promoted by the loose condition of the'filler and itsdisintegrating tendency which increases with its approach tothe bottom.The machine,

in its :complete and preferred embodiment, is so constructed that the"mass is held apart in small portions which are simultaneouslyattackedwi-th -the steam and dry heat, the apparatus holding the fillerportions thus because it is progressive in y so id mass but on thecontrary get ncreasj ingly loose and open and permeable toward the-bottom by maintaining a. considerable delpth or extent of melted andconditioned fil er disintegrating and droplping or tending to drop andflow loosely own and forward byv gravity continuously. The structurejust explained whereby there Ais a concentration and suddenness ofattack and result has considerable influence, viz., the jetlikeor'forced steam discharge whereby is caused the sudden formation ofthelslimy or starch paste, the sudden melting of the waxy inder, thesudden formation of the.

steam` so that at the start the bottom part of the 11er is steam coatedeven before the metal bottom is very hot) especiall in theelectricmachine of the resent app ication, and the high or extra eat inits concentrated form which produces this uick steam to the extentnecessary and afor s the waste heat or surplus left overvfromv thesteam\ production which surplus is simultaneousl and automatically usedfor the desired hi i dry heat'around the reservoir and the Woribasin(whose use, thus extra hot, is made safe and possible by the steam onthe other side, said steam increasing with the heat). My machine andprocess proceed on the principle of loosening the filler, or dropping,opening, freeing the particles, and disintegrating, as diametrically opositc to forcing down, compressing an compacting or integratin (whichhas been before proposed). urther features of invention will appear inconnection with the following description and all will be covered by theappended claims.

In the drawings in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of myinvention,

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of the machine from front to back:

Fi 2 is a detail in top plan of the elecv tric Veating unit and itsmounting;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional'detail on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; E

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View in front' ele'ation of the roll. knifeblock and shelf; an

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan View of the 1parts lshown in Fig. 4.

T e .general construction and mode of operation of my apparatus is lthesame asn vset forth in m application Serial No. 633,-

148.- Mounte on a pedestal 1 isa base4 2 having upturned inclosing sides3 and ends The work-basin -6 and reservoir 7 are the same as shown inthe electrical forni of the apparatus contained in my applicationaforesaid, said reservoir containing heatradiators or flues 8 and beingclosed by a cover 9 and divided slide doors 10,11. At the left hand sideof the' work-basin is an inclned `shelf 12"above which are mounted theroll 13 4and knife block 14, carried on supports 15, 16 preferably intheform of pipes to -hold the current wires: and the heating units for theroll and knife -block are in the form of the well-known tubular orcartridge units one placed in the roll and one in the knife block andthe wires led therefrom through the supports to a switch 17. Toaccommodate the height or other peculiarities of different operators thesupports 15, 16 are held vertically and rotatably adjustable in theirbearings in the shelf -12 by. set bolts 19. As it is desirable to havethe entire front of the reservoir capable of being quickly opened so asto permitthe operator to clean out any lodged filler, I have simplyconnected the opposite sides of the reservoir by a small bar 20 andsecured the front top edge of the radiators thereto or preferably theirangle iron protectors 21 areriveted or welded thereto at their frontends and at their rear ends to the rear wall of the reservoir. The slidedoor 10 has anA overhanging upper end 22 and the lower -slide door orsection 11 slides in fairly tight engagement with said door section 10sothatthe .operator may therefore readily inspect the lower portion ofthe apparatus by simply raising the door 11, butJ if he Wishes todisclose the entire `Vertical length of the radiators and-the spacesbetween said radiators he simply continues to lift the door 11- afterits upper edge has struck the flange 22 and thereby he raises both doors10 and 11 asfar as desired or entirely from the apparatus. The hingedcover 9 has its handle 23 arranged to project laterally a considerableextent so as to be out of range with the escapingsteam when the cover isbeing raised.

Just below the horizontal portion 24 of the bottom. of the work-basinand the reservoir I mount the water basin or steam generator 25 shown asa closed basin' or sealed pan Whose purpose and functions have alreadybeen explained.y This is located in the heat disseminating space orchamber between said bottom 24 and thev radiant heating unit 26 and hasan inlet pipe 27 connected `by a U-loop 28 to the water seal 29 forreceiving water from the supply tank 30 provided with an air pipe 31 andoutflow tube 32 and mounted all as shown and explain-ed in myapplication Serial No. 633,148. Adjacent the .upper corner of the waterchalnber or container and steam producer 25 is a steam outlet pipe 33connected with a distributor pipe 34 and individual pipes 35 discharginrespectively into the reservoir 7. preferab y by entering the flues 8and held in the inclined portion 36 of the bottom bv a tight joint@formed in any suitable manner as by nuts 37. By this means the steam isforced or delivered under pressure into the mass. It

is formetksuddenly in the confined container or 4closed basin andcarries the heat immediately into and throughoutfthe mass of filler atthe desired pluralityof points. In order to speed up the process andloosen downthe` filler which is normali slowly penetrative by heat andvet is iable to urn at high heat, the mass is held apart at a pluralityof places or provided with alurality of openings extending vertical y inthe mass for lsimultaneously receiving Va melting heat throughout .theirverticall walls. This starts the crumbling or dropping tendencysimultaneously throughoutI practically the entire mass of the filler inspite of the fact that it is not easily penetrated by heat, saiddropping or falling and loosening taking place most rapidlyad; jacentthe bottom where the steam has direct impact against and access to thefiller with the combined melting and protective effect alreadyexplained. Cross reference is also made to my VPatent No. 1,512,230granted October 2l, 192,4 on copending application Serial lNumber633,148 filed April 19, 1923, in which the sameforced or pressure-drhennozzle-jets of steamfdelivery into the reservoir and contained filler isshown but in connection with a different species of steam producer. Boththat species and the present a paratus are, 'however` radicallydistmguished from my original application (Patentl 1,512,229 beforelmentioned) in which the steam had no forced or nozzlejet delivery, butrather was delivered from the Wide open pan or basin-like generator as acloud or vapor through the unrestricted foraminous bottom and saidbottom had the moisture or wet cloud of steam spread co- .extensivelyover 'its underside and upper side. The unit 26 as herein shown is ofthe circular radiant type and therefore the steam )reducer or waterchamber l25 is prefer-a ly circular and is preferably some- `whatsmaller than the electric heating unit in order that the latter may havea portion exposed beyond the protection of the Water chamber forfacilitating rapid heating at the start. The heating unit is shown asmounted on a stand or support 38 and carre'ed by a frame or clampingband 39 held in proper clamping ,adjustment by a bolt 40 and secured atits ends 41 to a door or closing plate 42 on which is mounted the switch43 and switch box (not shown). The switch is preferably of the usualthree-heat type. Considerable trouble has been experienced withpreviouselectrically heated filler machines as heretofore used for the kind ofliller of Pat-ent No. 861,555, July 30, 1907 and after muchinvestigation and experimenting I have discovered that the greater partof this trouble has been due to the burning off er disintegrating of theinsulation onV the electric wires in the presloo ence of continuousintense heat. Accordingly, I have devised the construction shown andjust explained which permits the bringing out of the bare wires from theradiant heating unit directly into the switch without any insulationwhich could burn off or injure. Furthermore, in case of any injury, tothe heating unit all that is necessary is to loosen the plate 42 andthereby pull out the entire heating unit and its connections. A smallerplate or door 44 is provided at the rear end to permitv of ready accessfor replacement orl repair of any of the contained water and steamconnections. Steam is always used in the ller for speed and safety, butdry heat 'from the dry-heat chamber beneath' may be used for theradiators. i

In use, vthe o erator fills the reservoir with filler and t en turns onthe switch 43 to high heat. The automatic water supply 27--32 keeps thewater chamber properly filled with water. This acts to protect thebottom 24, 36 against localized burning directly over the unit 26 in'the heat disseminating space or chamber between said unit and bottom. Asthe -apparatus `gets heated and the iller begins to melt, the water inthe chamber or container begins to vaporize and `passes out through thepi es 33, 34, into the reservoir, and preferab y into the radiators orflues 8 and into the filler contained in the s aces around or betweensaid radiators. T is construction constitutes a safety means ofprotective provisionF whichlpermits considerable accelerated speed ofstarting and of operation. The water in the chamber 25 is firstvapor-and then quickly gets into the condltion of steam and then hotsteam, butv isnever intended to become really dry steam. Before thislatter point might be reached the operator turns down the switch 43 fromhi h to medium and finally to low heat. T e percolating steam kee s thefiller particles in the reservoir coate with sufficient protectingmoisture to prevent accidental burning when the fller\later. falls onthe hot bottom 24. Also somecondensation reaches said hot bottom whichmonverts it back into .steam and there is` always a tendency to provideay permeating moist heat in all the filler wherever it may` be intheapparatus. This feature of my invention is important in facilitatingthe. rapidity and safety upon which I have already placed special emhasis. The maintenance of steam heat a ove the bottom in and throughoutthe filler mass and particularly wherever the filler contacts with thehot bottom or the walls of the reservoir and radiators insures that thesensitive filler is not burned or overheated and the highfheat of thebottom and walls maintains the steam condition by preventing anyaccumulation lminacce of water and hence insures the ller against Y ttommay be kept hot by any means as for instance as in my applicationsSerial Nos. 560,800 and 633,148, or preferably as in the present specieswhere it is kept hot by dry heat. In other words I am Cable tolbeingwsaturated or surrounded with water.

The

keep'up high speed of operation by maintaining the metal at such a heatthat it converts condensation, if a'n back into steam'. And thisaccomfpllishes t e further purpose of keeping the ler just, right bypreventing the filler from getting too wet to lay and losing its activestickiness. Steam is much more penetrative than dry heat alone, andhence the combination of the two, or their concerted action, whereby thesteam drives along the dry heat, hastens` the melting. The dry heat isreinforced by the wet steam heat which facilitates the heatpenetration'of the anular mass, helps to separate it rapidly into the desiredloosely -iiowing condition which is specially adapted for the requiredspreadingor laying within the shoe-bottom and also rotects it againstburnin so that the high eat mentioned is safe -w ich could not otherwisebe` used. The branching pipes-33, 34,' 35 or equivalent means forconveying jets of steam simultaneously to the loose and loosenin area orregion of the bottom of the mass o? filler is very important as therebythe filler particles at all points of possible contact with the metalbottom 24 are rendered burnproof simultaneously with the raising of saidbottom 24 to' its burning heat. Without this plurality of jets ofpenetrating moisture at and throughout said region it would not bepossible to use the sudden and intense, harsh. heat and the speed andquick efficiency already explained-'would not result. But byconcentrating the hi h-heatand severe wattage of the unit 26 irectlyunder the protecting and disseminating steam generator 25 relativelyclose to the metal bottom and delivering the steam atl short range and asufficient plurality of A places here and there in the lower 4end of themass of filler, the filler stratum on and just abovev the metal bottomismelted,

`moistened and rendered safe all at the same 'moment and automaticallyby the same source (and hence the sameacceleration or-speed of heating),l las the metal bottom.A The hotter the metal gets the faster the steamis discharged all over the top side of it, that is to say, in protectingand melting relation to the otherwise burnable filler particles on andnear said hot metal bottom. The open, loose and disintegrating orseg'regating condition of the filler and opportunity therefore foropening down and self-loosening because of the free gravity flow, has amost favorable steam production required and' forlthe dry heatto-maintain the'work-basin and elsewhere inA the condition of highestelliciency.

This tends to further economy as the p'ro.

duction of the steam necessarily wastes heat or leavesy a surplus fromrthe steam proc duction, .and my arrangement utilizes this waste orsurplus with safety. If any lodged liller between the radiators or llues8 `needs' attention the operator raises-the`lower section 11 of the dooror if necessary'continues to raise said section until it overlapssection 10 and strikes against the flange 22 and thereby raises thelsection 10 along with the section 11 removing the two `entirely fromthe apparatus ifA desired. If the roll 13 and knife block 14 are too lowor too high or not at the right angle they are adjusted to suit theoperator bymeans of the set screw 19.. As the operator fills theshoebottom with a hot knife from the knife block 14 he quickly levelsand'condenses the filler in the shoe-bottom by pressure against the roll13 and any surplus fillerthat drops on the hot inclined shelf 12 is madehighly fluid by contact and llows at once back into the work-basin.

Although my apparatus is subordinate in 0 some respects to the claims ofprevious applications and relates to improvements, 1n others it containsdominating claims (certain of which have been divided out from theapplication Serial No. 633,148), it will be evident to those skilled inthe art that vmany variations and substitutions of embodiments arecontemplated within the vspirit and scope of the followingl claims whichfurther define my invention:

- 1. In a. machine of the kind described, a filler supply reservoir, aheater spaced below said reservoir ashort distance sufficient forheating the apparatus speedily at a high heat without danger of burningthe iller,\a closed water chamber and steam producer between said heaterand the bottom of the reservoir, and steam "conveying means forconveying the steam from said chamber into the reservoir.

2. In a machine of the kind described,

the combination with a liller softening res-I ervoir adapted to handleshoe-bottom filler which prior to use is normally self-sustaining butsluggishly fluid under moderate heat, of a heating unit or source ofheat beneath said reservoir, a closed waterchainber and steam'producerin protectingrelation between said unit and the bottom ofsaid reservoir,and means permittingthe discharge of steam from said producer into saidreservoir at a plurality of separated places k through said bottom.

3. Ina machine of the kind described, the

combination with a filler softenin reservoir adapted tohandleshoe-bottom i ler which prior .to use is normally self-sustainingbut sluggishly fluid under moderate-heat', 0f a heating unit or sourceof heat beneath said reservoir, a closed water chamber and steamproducer in protecting relation between said unity and the bottom ofsaid reservoir, and

means for discharingsteam from said `pro Y ducer through sai bottom intothe filler in the.. reservoir in the form Aofjets 'of steam deliveringat a plurality of separated places.

4., In a machine of the kind described, a

filler-supply reservoir, a removableelectric heater spaced below saidreservoir a short distance sullicient forI heating the apparatusspeedily at a higl heat without danger of burning the filler, a closedwater chamber and steam producer between said -heater and the bottom ofthe reservoir, and steam conveyin means for conveying lthe steam fromsai chamber intothe reservoir.

5. In a machine of the kindl described, a iiller-suiply reservoir, aheater spaced below sai reservoir a short distance sullicient forheating the apparatus speedily at a high heat without 'dan er of burningthe liller, a closed water c amber and steam producer between saidheater and the bottom of the reservoir, an automatic water suppl formaintaining said chamber supplied wit Water, and steam conveying meansfor conveying the steam from said chamber into the reservoir.

6. In a machine of the kind described,

filler-supp?I reservoir, an enclosure bey neath sa n eservoir, andsafety heating means within said enclosure, comprising a broad, shallowclosed chamber for Water to .be converted into steam, a heater directlyunder said chamber, water connections to said chamber, and steamconnections from said chamber to the reservoir.

7. In a machineof the kind described, a filler-supply reservoir, anupstanding radiator flue in said reservoir, an enclosure beneath saidreservoir, and safety heating means within said enclosure comprising abroad, shallow closed chamber for water to be converted into steam, aheater directlyunder said chamber, water connections to said chamber,and steam connections from said chamber to the flue and thence into thereservoir.

8. In a machine ofl the kind'described, a f

filler supply reservoir having a plurality of hollow melting-linesextending within it in 'the position to introducev a meltin heat 'at alurality of regions within t e mass of iRiller contained within thereservoir, means for introducin steam int the reservoir from outside t ereservoir, and means for preventing the escape of steam or filler at caminlet. 9. In a machine of the kind described, a filler supply reservoirhaving a plurality of flues extending within the same, heating meansbelow said reservoir and ilues, and a steam pipe extend-ing into eachflue for supplying jets of steam into said lues and thence into thefiller mass surrounding the iiues, all constructed and arranged tomaintain a dry heat below said reservoir and ilues and a moist heat insaid reservoir and ilues. l0. In a machine of the kind described, afiller supply reservoir and work-basin, a heat radiator and steam flueextending withinsaid reservoir for hastening the melting andconditioning' of the filler, means for providing dry heat below andaround said apparatus formelting and maintaining the fillerin workablecondition in said workbasin, andflineans for supplying steam to saidradiator and steam flue and thence into the filler in the reservoir forconditioning the ller surrounding said radiator an steam flue, theaforesaid construction bein arranged to' maintain d heat `below saisuppl reservoir and wor -basin and moist heat 1n said reservoir.

11. In a shoe-bottom filling machine for the rapid handling with hi hheat of a heat responsive, stikyille'w ich is -normally slowlypenetrative by heat and liable to burn at high heat, thecombination witha filler supply reservoir adapted to the rapid handling of a mass ofsaid filler and to maintain the ller supported on and above the bottomof said reservoir in a loose, open, non-compressed and non-compactedcondition, of heating means arranged to maintainI two kinds of heat onthe opposite sides of said bottom of said reservoir, namely, a dry heatimmediately beneath and inl heating contact with said bottom and a wetcause the filler to protective heat immediately above and in protectivecontact with sai bottom and in the adjacent iiller mass, all constructedand arranged for safet at high heat and to oosen bottomward and tend todisinte rate. downward as distin uished from so idfying and compactingat t e bottom.

12. In a shoe-bottom illin machine for the rapid handling with hi h eatof a' heat responsive, sticky filler w ichis normally slowly penetrativeby heat and liable toburn at hi h heat, the combination with a fillersupp y reservoir adapted to the rapid handhng of a mass of said fillerand to maintain the ller in a loose, open, noncompressed andnon-compacted condition, of

nuance tive contact with said bottom and in the adjacent filler mass,all constructed and arranged for safety at high heat and to cause thefiller to loosen bottomward and tend t0 disintegrate downward Las distinished from solidifying and compacting at t e bottom.

13. In a shoe-bottom filling machine for the rapid handling with hi hheat of a heat responsive, sticky filler w ich is normally slowlypenetrative by heat and liable tof lburn at high heat, the combinationwith a filler 'supply reservoir arranged to hold the Mfiller mass partedwith af- 'ty ovopenings extendmg vertically 1n the mass for si-'multaneously receiving a melting heat throughout their vertical walls,said reservoir being adapted to hold and deliver filler of said caracter ina loose, open, non-comressedand non-compacted condition,of aeating unit'or source of' heat arranged t0 maintain a dry high heatbeneath said reser- `voir, and steam supplying means to introduce steamsimultaneously into said several parted portions of the mass ofiller .inthe reservoir.

14. In a shoe-bottom filling machine for the rapid handling of av heatres nsive,

ssl

sticky filler which is normally slow y penel trative by heat and liableto burn at hi h heat, the combination with a filler su Iy reservoiradapted -to hold and deliver E ler of said character in a loose,openfnon-compressed, and non-compacted condition, of a eating unit orsource of heat arranged to maintam a dry heat beneath said reservoir,and steam supplying means to introduce steam to a meltlng extent intothe mass of filler in the reservoir simultaneously at a plurality ofplaces and arranged to promote a loosening, opening and droppingtendency in the bottom part of the filler mass. v I

15. In a shoe-bottom filling machine for the rapid handling of a heatres nsive, sticky filler lwhich-1s normally slow y pene- Iso trative byheat and liable to burn at hi h the-wall of the reservoir with a tightjoint for delivering moist heat into the filler mass at a correspondingplurality of oints while excluding the moisture from sai chamber.

16. In a shoe-bottom illing machine for the'rapid handling of a heat resonsive,v

sticky filler which is normally slow y penetrative by heat and liable toburn at hi h heat, the combination with a filler su p y reservoiradapted to hold and deliver ller of said character in a loose, open,non-compressed, and non-compacted condition, of a heating unit or sourceof heat for softening the filler in said reservoir, including a closedsteam producer under the influence of said unitand a plurality ofbranches f1-om said Steam producer extending with atight joint throughthe wall of the reservoir fordelivring steam into the filler mass at acorresponding plurality of points.

17. Inra shoe-bottom filling machine for 5 the rapid handling of a heatresponsive,

pressed, and non-compacte sticky filler which is normally slowlypenetrative by heat and liable to burn at high,

heat, the. combination with a filler supply reservoir adapted to holdand deliver filler of said character in a loose, open, non-compressed,and non-compacted condition, of a dry heat'chamber and heatin meansbelow sa1d reservoir,'and wet steam eating Lmeans Within said chamber todeliver moist heatA into the filler to facilitate the heat penetrationof the loose filler mass, all arranged to promote the loosening 'of thefiller and ilowing condition thereof more actively `at the 'bottom anddelivery end of the filler mass and to protect the filler against injuryby the dry heat, the aforesaid heating portion of theapparatus'including controllmg means for so limiting and balancing thedry and steam heat as to maintain the sticky massin a fiufiy, light,higlrstate of looseness without water saturation or injury to itsstickiness for spreading and laying within the shoe-bottom.

18. In a shoe-bottom lling machine for the rapid handling of a heat resonsive, sticky filler which is normally slow y penetrative by heat andliable `to burn at high heat, the combination with a filler su p yreservoir adapted to hold and deliver ller of said character in alooseopen, non-comd condition, of a dry heat chamber and heating meansbelow sa1d reservoir having capacity in excess of the safety limits ofsaid kind of liller in normal condition, and means for introducing steamwithin the liller to a protective extent guarding the iller against said`excess dry heat, and controlling means for controlling and balancingsaid two heats and arranged to insure that the dry heat on the one handis held in check by the moisture from burning the filler and on theother hand the accumulation of water of condensation from the steam isprevented by the dry heat.

19. In a shoe-bottom filling machine for the rapid handling of a heatresponsive,

lsticky filler which 1s normally slowly penetrative by heat and liableto burn at high heat, the combination with a filler su ly reservoiradapted to hold and deliver killler of said character in a loose, open,non-comressed,v and non-compacted condition, of a Vry, heat chamber andheating means belowl sald reservoir having ca acity in excess of thesafety llnnts of said kind of liller in normal condltlon, and means forintroducing steam within the filler to a protective exthe dry heat, allthe parts being arranged to maintain the bottom of the filler bodyespecially moist nearest the most highly heated part of the reservoir soas to protect by a lm of moisture the filler l particles from burning.

20.'In a shoe-bottom filling machine for the rapid handling of granular,heat-sensitive, sticky shoe-bottom liller, meltable at low heat and thenquick setting when allowed to cool in a shoe-bottom, a reservoir adaptedto hold and deliver filler of said character in a loose, open,non-compressed and non-compacted condition, concentrated heating meansconsisting of a high-heat heating unit or source of heat capable ofproducing a sudden super-heat, and a closed steam generator located toreceive directly the ful force of said concentrated superheat and havingforce steam delivery into basin for receiving the softened filler fromthe reservoir in sald condition for application to the shoe-bottom,concentrated heating means consisting of a high-heat heating unit orsource of heat capable of producing a sudden super-heat, anda closedsteam enerator located-to .receive directly the fu force of saidconcentrated superheat` andhaving forced steam delivery into the lillermass within the reservoir, said heating vmeans bein arranged to deliverits surplus heat, left. groin the steam production, around thework-basin for maintaining the latter hot. f 4

22. In a shoe-bottoni illinof machine for the rapid handling ofgranuIar,heat-sensi tive, sticky shoe-bottom filler, meltable at lowheat and then quick setting when allowed to cool in a shoe-bottoni, areservoir adapted to hold and deliver filler of said character in aloose, open, non-compressed and non-compacted condition, a hotworkbasinfor receiving the softened filler fromk the reservoir in saidcondition vfor application to the shoe-bottoin, and concentrated heatingmeans located below said basin and reservoir and arranged for forceddeliveryv of moist heat under pressure into the reservoir and throughthe filler and delivery of dry heat around said basin.

23. In a machine of the kind described, a filler-supply reservoir, anenclosure beneath it, and safety heating means within said enclosure,comprising a broad, shallow closed chamber for water to be convertedinto steam, an electric heater directly under said chamber, waterconnections to said chamber, and steam connections from said chambe'r tothe reservoir, said enclosure having a removable portion of its frontwall secured to said electric heater `and provided with a switch for thelatter and having a portion of its wall adjacent said water chamber and"connections also removable.

v24. In a machine of the kind described, a filler-supply reservoir andwork-basin, a plurality of upstanding radiators and flues in saidreservoir affording intervening filler receiving spaces between themopen at the front of the reservoir from the bottom up, closing means forsaid open front adjustable to open the said front as desired, andheating means for said reservoir and basin including means forproviding. moisture within the filler and melting heat in the fines andbeneath the reservoir and basin.

25. In a machine of the kind described, a filler-supply reservoir andwork-basin, a plurality of upstanding radiators and flues in saidreservoir affording intervening filler receiving spaces between themopen at the front of the reservoir from the bottom up, closing meansincluding a two-part door for said open front having an upper part togive the operator free access to the upper front interior of thereservoir and a lower vertically movablepart extending down into theWork-basin and normally closing into the filler mass to hold the heatback within the reservoir, and heating means for said reservoir andbasin including means. fo-r providing moisture within the llerandmelting heat in the flues and beneath the reservoir and basin.

26. Inv a machine of the kind described, a filler-supply reservoir andwork-basin, a

' plurality of upstanding radiators and flues in said kreservoira'ording Vintervening ller receiving Spaces between them open at thefront of the reservoir from the bottom up, closing means including atwopart slide door for said open front adjustable to open the said frontas desired,

the top part of the slide door having a part,

in position to be engaged by the bottom part of the slide door so thatywhen the bottom part has been raised into said engagement both partswill then move together infurther upward opening movement, and heatingmeans for said reservoir-and basin including means for providingmoisture within the filler and melting heat in the fines and beneath thereservoir and basin.

27. In a machine-df the kind described, a liller-sup ly reservoir andwork-basin, a plurality o upstanding radiators and iues in said.reservoir affording intervening -filler receiving spaces between themopen at the front of the reservoir from the bottom up, a supporting baracross the front of the reservoir to which the lues are held attheir yfront ends, closing means for said open -front adjustable to open thesaid'front as desired, and heating means yfor said reservoir and basinincluding means for providing moisture within the ller and melting heatin the flues and beneath the reservoir and basin.

28. In fa machine of the kind described, a filler-supply reservoir andwork-basin, a plurality of upstanding radiators and lues in saidreservoir affording intervening filler receiving spaces between themopen at the front of the reservoir from the bottom up, a cover hinged tothe to of said reservoir having a handle projecting freely beyond thereservoir at the extreme end of the free swinging edge remote from thehinged edge, closing means for said open front ad ture within the fillerand melting heat in the iues and vbeneath I the reservoir and basin.

29. fIn a machine of the kind described, a liller-Supply reservoir, awork-basin in position to receive filler therefrom b gravity, and alaying roll mounted in ront of said reservoir and` above said basin atone side thereof, including means for adjusting said roll vertically.

30. In a machine of the kind described, a filler-supply reservoir, awork-basin iii position to receive filler therefrom by gravity, and alaying roll and knife block mounted in front of said reservoir and abovesaid basin at one side thereof, including means for adjusting said rolland knife block vertically.

31. In a machine of the kind described, a filler-supply reservoir, awork-basin in po- 1,sas,eeo

sition to receive ller from the lower end thereof, a laying roll mountedin front of said reservoir and above one side of the basin, and a knifeblock back of said roll 5 alllid axustable angularly with reference to te ro 32. In a machine of the kind described, a

filler-supply reservoir, a work-basin in po- GEORGE H. MAXWELL.

